Making copper plated shingles



Patented May'19, 1931 rimnimscnmn, or DENVILLE, NEW JERSEY MAKITIG OOPPEE PLATED SHIN'GLES Application filed November 7, 1927. Serial No. 231,598.-

The present invention relates to the treatment of shingles underwhich term is intended to be implied, not only-wooden shingles Y but also sheet-form rubberized or tarred 8 paper felts and the like, whether cut into small pieces or used in the form of rolls. The

object of the invention is to produce copper coated shingles, which may be oxidized or otherwise treated on the surface, to change 10. the color, or not, as desired.

If the shingle material to be treated is alreadywaterproofed, then it is not necessary to waterproof it. If the material to be treated has not previously been waterproofed,

1 it is first given a treatment, such as impregnation with asphalt or mixtures containing asphalt or similar waterproofing agents, to

waterproof the same. For example the wooden shingles or paper felts may be firstv im- 3" pregnated with molten asphalt or a mixture 7 of molten asphalt and a flux such as crude mineral oil, tar or the like, or the waterproofing agent may beafpplied in the form of an emulsion or other orm, and may carry insoluble material such as sand, fine cut stone or crushed slate or the like, if desired, or

crushed stone, crushed slate or the like may be applied to one side only of the shingle, during or subsequent to the impregnation operation.

The waterproofed shingle is then treated 5 with a surface coating of a suitable binding material, for example a mixture of shellac, powdered red lead and alcohol, say in the prqplprtion of 25 pounds of shellac, 25 pounds of ely powdered red lead and 5 gallons of alcohol, stirred up until the shellac is dissolved and the red lead is well suspended in the liquid, and this coating can be applied for example with an air brush, compressed air under 60 pounds ressui 'zll fhjs coating is preferably applie over the entire front side of the sheet, and on the edges of the sheet, and preferably I run it over onto the back the entire ed This coating may be .02 to .03 inch in t 'ckness.

This exact composition as will be readily understood, can be vari more or less, and other methods of applying the same can be surface, say half an inch oran inch around- 'used if desired. The air brush method appears to be the most satisfactory, as givlng the best results in actual practice.

I may then apply a coating composed of say lacquer, thinner, powdered tin and powdered copper, in the proportions of say 1 part of the lacquer, 1 part of very finely powdered metallic tin, and 3 parts of very finely powdered cop er powder, in say 32 parts of a thinner. his may be applied by means of an' air brush, using compressed air at 40 to 60 pounds pressure. This is preferably applied to cover the entire surface which was covered by the mixture of shellac, alcohol and red lead.

I then hang the shingles, in an electrolytic bath, using copper anodes. The electrolyte for this bath preferably consists of rain water, carrying crystallized copper sulphate,- ammonia alum and pure sul huric acid and a soluble carbohydrate pre erably the best grade of corn molasses. The electrolyte maythen be prepared by dissolving well crystallized copper sulphate,-freefrom dirt and 1 powder, in say 1,000 gallons of rain water, until a hydrometer in the liquid shows 10"..

' The ammonia alum, also in lumps, and free from dirt and impurities is dissolved in this solution to raise the hydrometer reading to 12. Chemically pure sulphuric acid, free from arsenic, is then added to raise the hydrometer reading to 15. Then add, for 1,000 gallons of electrolyte, about 1 quart of the best grade corn molasses. The corn molasses acts as a brightener, so that after the shingles are plates, they come out entirely finished, without the necessity of any further operation.

When desired, before immersing the shin- 'gles in the electrolyte, I may give the same a washin in a mixture of 3; volumes of pure water an 1 volume of alcohol, in order to entirely clean the surface... If the precedin operations have been carefully performe. this step will not be necessary. The electrolysis is operated at a pressure of 1 volt, with about 10 amperes per square foot of cathode surface. A convenient method is to employ six electrolytic tanks 'in series, using a 6 volt 3,000 ampere, or m to about 1 volt.

I have above referredto the use of rain water, and will state that rain water or distilled water which is entirely free from-oil should be employed if possible, in the making up of the electrolyte. If the ordinary tap water is to be employed, it is necessary to first purify the same, to remove or render innocuous the alkalies, alkali earth compounds and iron, the alkali earth compounds being removed by means of soda, and the iron being rendered innocuous by the use of a small amount of sulphuric acid.

After the electrolytic coating operation the shingles canbe used as such, or they may be subjected to a slight oxidizing operation, to produce a green or brown color.

The shingles treated in accordance with the present invention have a beautiful ap-.

pearance and will last practically indefinitely, when placed upon a roof.

The annexeddrawings show in 'Fig. 1, a vertical section of the electrolytic tank and its connections, and Fig. 2 shows a detail sectional view of the product, on an enlarged scale. I

Direct current from a suitable dynamo or other source is supplied through the leads 10 and 11. A rheostat which is adjustable, is

' shown at 12, but may be omitted when a ourrent of the desired voltage and amperage is accessible. 13 represents copper anodes, and 14 represents the shingles being plated, these being suspended in the conventional manner in the electrolyte. Steam pipes preferably perforated at intervals are shown at 15, for

coping the electrolyte hot, and perforated air pipes are shown at 16 for producing a sufiicient amount of agitation of the electrolyte, to maintain the same entirely homogeneous.

The tank containing the electrolyte can be made of Wood or other suitable material 16 provided with an internal layer 17 of sheet lead.

It will be noted'that the cathodes 14 are shown in the drawing as carrying shingles on both parts of the same, for coatin the shingles in pairs, the side of the shing e carrying the red lead coating being turned'towards the copper anodes, the shingles being fastened to the grids by suitable grippers.

powder and thinner, which two coatings have virtually blended into one coating, at their line of meeting. 21 shows the coating of copper completely covering one face of the shingle, covering the edge of the shingle and lapping over a little onto the backside of the shingle. It will be understood that the coated sideof the shingle constitutes the top, when the shingle is being laid upon a roof, or constitutes the outside or weather side when the shingle is used on a side wall.

Without restricting myself to these details, I will state that the coating of shellac and red lead may be .02 to .03 inch in thickness. The enamel coating may be about the same thickness, if the same is used. The copper coating may be .03 inch up to .1 inch or even more'if required for any particular purpose.

Throughout the. specification, the degrees of the hydrometer represent the usual Baum hydrometer.

I claim 1. A shingle, the body of which is waterproofed, having a binding coating including red lead and shellac thereupon, and a copper plating upon same. a

2. A shingle comprising a fibrous base, a coatin thereon of a binder having a nonmetallic conductor, a further coating of a binder containing a metallic conductor having electrically deposited metallic coating attached to said metallic conducting material in said binder.

3. A process for producing'an adherent metallic coating upon an electrically non-conductive fibrous material which comprises coating the fibrous material first With a binder carrying a finely divided non-metallic conductor, and then with abinder having a finely divided conductor mixed therewith, immersing the coated article in a solution having a tendency to deposit metal by internal chemico-electrical reaction and causing the electrical current to flow between the conductor in the coating and the solution in such a'manner as to assist the deposition of the metal as heretofore stated.

4. In the process of claim 3, the step of adding ammonia alum to the electrolyte from which the metal is to be deposited.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

FRED MUSCHLER. 

